Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-Buraimi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-Buraimi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $923 in Al-Buraimi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,351 in Al-Buraimi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $1,778 in Al-Buraimi.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 3% more expensive than in Al-Buraimi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al-Buraimi 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$5.07 OMR 1.95

-58.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$13.24 OMR 5.10

48.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.84 OMR 3.02

-27.93%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.87 OMR 1.87

-62.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.84 OMR 0.32

-15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.27 OMR 0.10

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$12.84 OMR 4.94

-82.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$12.96 OMR 4.99

-71.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.31 OMR 0.89

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.24 OMR 0.48

20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.53 OMR 0.59

-12.42%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.91 OMR 1.12

-22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$6.62 OMR 2.55

145.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.56 OMR 2.14

-46.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$8.90 OMR 3.42

11.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.12 OMR 0.82

21.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.81 OMR 0.70

-41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.06 OMR 0.79

-21.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.25 OMR 0.48

21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.21 OMR 0.47

4.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.99 OMR 0.38

8.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.84 OMR 0.33

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.66 OMR 0.25

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$5.06 OMR 1.95

-17.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$15.70 OMR 6.04

13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$5.68 OMR 2.19

-70.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$8.86 OMR 3.41

-67.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$39.22 OMR 15.10

37.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$3.28 OMR 1.26

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-54.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.86 OMR 3.03

-69.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$0.64 OMR 0.25

120.31%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$25.3K OMR 9,741

-15.25%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$22.4K OMR 8,610

22.22%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$63.7 ฿2,093

$76.7 OMR 29.53

-17.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.85 ฿423

$31.38 OMR 12.08

-59.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$69.1 OMR 26.59

-70.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$64.0 OMR 24.63

-39.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$7.86 OMR 3.03

-14.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$778 ฿25.6K

$264 OMR 102

194.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$10.7K OMR 4,121

36.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$56.0 OMR 21.56

-3.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$42.79 OMR 16.47

-40.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$92.5 OMR 35.63

1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$97.3 OMR 37.47

-24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$3,575 OMR 1,376

-83.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al-Buraimi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 494% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $13.00 in Al-Buraimi. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $258, with Chiang Mai cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Al-Buraimi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 494% lower in Al-Buraimi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Buraimi runs roughly 37% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $264 in Al-Buraimi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $923 in Al-Buraimi versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Buraimi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al-Buraimi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.